Okay first of hats off to one of the most intriguing threads started in a while..
anyway the mystery continues about the fuel door locking mechanisms... used
these pictures below show what I accidentally discovered while diagnosing my shock mounts:
Background: My car is a 1995 E36 sedan 318i with central locking and keyless entry alarm...

Okay...could someone explain this to me? do I have a blown fuse for this mechanism? used what exactly is all this as well? used

You may have a blown fuse, a bad lock actuator, or a bad or severed connection. First thing I would try would be disconnecting the harness to the lock actuator, cleaning the terminals, and reconnecting. That is how I "fixed" my sideview mirror's motor and heating element.

That's the lock actuator in the pics. It doesn't have its own fuse; it shares the same fuse as the rest of the central locking system. Get yourself one of those cheap 12v testers at radio shack or an auto parts store. Pull the plug off, and check the terminals for voltage as you lock and unlock the central locking. If you have voltage, then the actuator is faulty and needs to be replaced.

Yup, that just about locks the thing up, I haven't really figured out how to unlock it though..and the previous owner never told me. I pull on this plastic thingy on the bottom of the console (near the gas pedal), and when I go outside, its unlocked.

Recently, I've come to the conclusion that if your doors are locked, the gas tank will be as well, I always lock the door when I exit the car, only to find the gas tank locked, when I unlock it and pull on the plastic thing, and go outside, everything is all good.

I'm not sure if its the plastic thing or just unlocked doors, someone please confirm lol.

As for fixing it, its probably the actuator or fuses as said above =D.

Originally posted by WarNox@Aug 26 2005, 08:16 PMit works the same as any other door or the trunk lock! you can manually unlock it with the little plastic thing u pull from the inside the trunk!

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well my problem with it is the opposite..it unlocks automatically when I unlock the doors with my keyless remote fob (or even manually with the key in the door)...
However...It doesn't lok automatically when the doors lock.
I do however lock it manully with that little tab in the trunk (by pushing in on the tab)...

Originally posted by Delmarco@Aug 27 2005, 12:03 AMwell my problem with it is the opposite..it unlocks automatically when I unlock the doors with my keyless remote fob (or even manually with the key in the door)...
However...It doesn't lok automatically when the doors lock.
I do however lock it manully with that little tab in the trunk (by pushing in on the tab)...

so I guess my actuator only half works... used

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hey delmarco, i'm having the same troubles you are having with it not locking, but where is the tab you can push in to lock it from the trunk? I'm at college and leave my car in a huge parking lot so with gas prices around $3.50-4.00 i'm kinda worried someones gonna steal my gas. I just wanna get it manually locked for the time being, then later i will try to fix it. Do you have any pics of the tab? or is it in any of the pics up at the top of the page?

lol, the sign might work, lol, but seriously, a place like this.....people would do anything, i'm in Raleigh, NC so if you don't beleive me you go leave your car sitting in a parking lot alone for a week and come back and see if anyone has tried to mess with it. the only thing you can really do it park so close to someone else that noone can get inbetween to steal it, and siphoning gas really isn't that difficult. i've done it before. so cars have a wire screen that blocks people from being able to siphon gas, it keeps the hose from getting deep enough, but i'm guessing our bimmers must not have that screen, am i right? i would try and see, but i can as i have no hose to test it with.

lol, i'm gonna get started on making that sign, lol, maybe i'll make it out of vinyl and put it on the side windows, lol

I thought mine didn't work either, but found out that my aftermarket alarm has only been single locking and not double locking the car. If I lock the doors with the key twice, the gas door is locked. If I use my alarm to do it, it does not lock at all.

Just thought I would try my experience.

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